Wind currents and ocean currents help distribute heat worldwide and influence climate patterns. Several factors affect climate, including zones of latitude, elevation, topography, and atmospheric conditions. Climate can also change naturally through events like El Niño and La Niña, which impact wind and ocean currents, causing worldwide temperature and precipitation changes. Additionally, global warming is a concern as the greenhouse effect traps solar energy and gradually warms the earth's atmosphere over time.

1. CHAPTER 3 SECTION 2
Climate

2. I.
Factors Affecting Climate
A.
Wind Currents
1.
Wind, ocean currents
help distribute sun’s
heat worldwide.
2.
Convection—upward
motion of air that
transfers heat in
atmosphere.
3.
Coriolis effect is the
bending of winds due
to Earth’s rotation

3. B.
Ocean Currents
1.
Resembles rivers flowing in the ocean.
2.
Warm water flows away from equator toward poles.
3.
Cold, polar water flows back toward equator.

4. C.
Zones of Latitude
1.
Low, or tropical latitude.
a.
2.
Middle, or temperate latitude.
a.
3.
hot all year round.
warm summers and cold winters.
High, or polar latitude.
a.
cold all year round.

5. D. Elevation
1. Elevation is the distance above sea level.
2. As elevation increases, climate gets colder (3.5*F for every
1,000 ft).
E. Topography
1. Topography: landforms and their distribution in an area.
2. Landforms, especially mountains, affect climate.

6. II.
Changes in Climate
A.
El Niño
1.
El Niño—winds
push warm Pacific
Ocean waters
toward the
Americas.
2.
La Niña—winds
push warm waters
toward Australia and
Asia.
3.
Both cause
natural, worldwide
changes in climate.

8. B. Global Warming
1. Gradual warming of
the earth’s
atmosphere.
2. Greenhouse
effect—the earth
warms due to
trapped solar
energy.